


Below The Surface

by httplarrie



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: BoyxBoy, Bromance, M/M, Mermaids, Romance, Science Fiction, fairytales - Freeform, larry - Freeform, larry stylinson - Freeform, stylinson
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-04
Updated: 2017-08-04
Packaged: 2018-12-11 05:58:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11708241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/httplarrie/pseuds/httplarrie
Summary: Mermaids. Creatures that lived cozily within the pages of fairy tale books, flapping their tails about in the water as they swam to the peak of the horizon. They weren't real.Well-That's what Louis thought.





	Below The Surface

Louis listened to the wind whistling in his ear. It almost drowned out the sound of his older sisters playing catch. Their screams of excitement annoying.

Louis didn't want to be here. He longed for a quiet and calm holiday, one in the woods where he could wake up to the sweet orchestra of birds whistling and go to sleep to the chants of the Cicada's song. He dreamed of roasting marshmallows in the dead of night, under the moonlight where the sky was filled with stars and trees seemed as tall as skyscrapers. He wanted a summer holiday where he would, for once, have fun. Not at Disneyland like his sister, Daisy, chose last year. Or the Musuem of Crime like his eldest sister, Charlotte, chose two years ago.

He wanted _his_ holiday.

But being the youngest of his family, the only boy, and the one that was usually ostracized, he rarely had a say in any matter.

It wasn't his parents fault. Managing six kids wasn't a walk in the park. He was always reminded of his parents' love for him, but it still didn't help that he didn't feel it.

Unable to concentrate on the book because of the noise behind him, he reread the page for the third time, then flipped to the next. He sat exactly ten steps in front, where the sand beneath him started to dampen and the water just about reached his toes.

A ball hit the back of his head, making him frown though its soft material didn't hurt.

"Lou! Would you throw the ball back, please?" One of his sisters yelled behind him, Chloe no doubt.

The beach ball slowly rolled down the sand, as if it had a mind of its own. Probably to escape his sisters. He envied it.

"Get the ball!"

"Don't let it get in the water!"

He remained still. Someone else would come and get it.

Chloe ran past him, her golden locks—ones she definitely got from their grandmother—flying behind her in the wind, glowing under the bright rays of sunshine.

Once the ball was in her hands, Chloe shot Louis a look. _The look._

The one that said, 'Please lighten up.' It was a mixture of disappointment and anger. Neither sitting well with the blue eyed boy.

"Lou. It's summer. Please, oh please, can you get your nose out of the books and live a little? Look." She pointed at the sun, then at the sea not too far back. "We are in paradise. And you're more interested in, _'The adventures of Droolcaul The Centaur.'_   "

She was only older by a year, yet she thought she could scold him. Louis rolled his eyes.

"First of all, his name is Dracaul." He said. "Secondly, reading _is_ my paradise. I wanted to go camping, but as always, we never do what I want to do." His eyebrows furrowed in disdain and he turned back to his book.

His sister sighed, then stood her grounds, the beach ball tucked under her arm where it couldn't escape.

"It was a fair vote. We're here now, might as well enjoy it."

He grunted. "No, thank you."

The sixteen-year-old Miss Know-It-All rolled her eyes.

"Fairytales aren't real, Louis. This is real." She waved her hands in the air as if presenting a prize vacation package at a gameshow, then stomped away.

Fairytales weren't real but at least they provided him solace. The words were like a warm blanket, wrapping around him to provide warmth and comfort. His books were his eden. Or as close as he'd get to it.

Louis slammed the hard cover shut, the tail of his bookmark dangling from the edge.

He walked the ten steps back to where his family sat, avoiding the messy volley ball game that was going on and heading straight for his parents.

His mum hid under her large faux wheat hat for shade, even though she was already sitting under an umbrella. Her long dress, which she wore over her swimsuit, was tucked under her feet to prevent its flapping about.

Louis' dad seemed to be sound asleep under a stack of newspapers, sweat dripping from the tip of his nose. Typical.

As Louis turned away, he said over his shoulder, "I'm going to the pier."

"Ah, ah, young man. Take one of your sisters." His mum said, looking at Louis through her rather large glasses.

He groaned in annoyance.

"Mum, no. I'm old enough to take care of myself, and the pier is right there. See, you can even see it from here." He pointed to the left, eyes kept on his mother.

She pressed her lips together. "Lou, baby, you're only-"

"Old enough. Mum, please."

She sighed.

"Please?"

She took off her glasses.

"Pretty please?" And with that, Louis added a pout for good measure. One he knew she never could resist.

His mother shook her head. "Fine, fine. But no more than an hour, alright?"

Louis was already walking away, one hand holding his book and the other waving at his mother.

"One hour. I mean it!"

***

Sitting atop of the wooden pier, fingers digging into the chipping wood while his legs swung back and forth, Louis closed his book for a moment.

He had his flip-flops by his thighs, afraid one would drop into the water.

This was the peace and quiet he craved. Far enough away from civilization and screaming kids. Loud music. Obnoxious sisters. Nothing but the rhythmic sounds of splashing water.

He laid back on the weathered wood and gazed at the sky. Tucking his arms behind his head, shadows played over his face as seagulls flew by.

His eyes fluttered shut, focusing on the waves hitting the shore. Ebb and flow.

He wanted to stay here. Skip the midnight karaokes. Family games. Rules and regulations. Annoying sisters. Yeah, right here. Feet near the abyss and head in the clouds.

He was suddenly snapped out of his blissful state. What was that? A seagull diving for his dinner? A fish flapping in the water? He sat up, rubbing his eyes, and gazed at the water.

From under him, someone swam and sang words of a foreign language. Giggles followed.

He flipped to all fours and crawled to the edge, peering down at the water. It was calm, ripples spreading as far and wide as he could see. His reflection looked straight back at him, its eyebrows frowned and its teeth gnawing on his lip.

Nothing.

"Hm," Louis started to retreat.

"Boo!" A head appeared out the water, wetting Louis in the process.

He shrieked and fell back on his bum.

"Ooh, you don't look to well." The cause of his fright giggled from under him, swimming around in circles.

He had long brown hair that ended past his shoulders. His eyes glowed green, the color of the sea reflecting back into his eyes. He looked to be about the same age as him. On each side of his face, there were scars that resembled gills, but that couldn't be right. Louis rubbed his eyes again, then focused on the intruder.

Louis shook his head. "This is not a swimming area. Didn't you see the flags? He pointed at the red pennants flapping in the breeze, but the kid just swam faster. Around and around at incredible speeds, ripples ringing the circle he made.

The swimmer only shrugged his muscular shoulders. "I don't follow rules."

"Bad boy, huh?" Louis chuckled.

"Bad boy?" The guy studied Louis as if he was analyzing him. Louis suddenly felt insecure under the scrutiny.

"What do they call you?" He said, accent thick of something he hadn't ever heard before. Was he from around here?

"My name? It's Louis. My family calls me Lou. I don't mind either one. And yours?"

"Prince Harry."

Prince Harry? Was this guy joking? He figured he could just play along. "You're part of the royal family? I don't recognize you."

"Indeed I am. A kingdom not too far away." Harry chuckled softly and dove into the water, only to pop back out. Louis could swear he saw a tail flap behind him. Must've been a shadow

"You mean in England? Are you confused? You must have been in the water too long."

"Lou! We're leaving." Louis looked at Chloe standing at end of the pier, her hands on her hips.

"I'm sorry, that's my annoying sister." He started, looking back to see the mysterious Harry gone. How could he have disappeared so quickly? Louis stared at his reflection again.

"Let's go!" Chloe shouted again.

Louis picked up his book, slipped his flip flops between his toes, and stared into the distance. Just as he turned to go, a fish slapped the water with its tail.

-

_**Thoughts?** _

 


End file.
